Generating circular steady waves for sport activities

ABSTRACT

Provided is a system for generating circular steady water waves for sport activities. The system comprises a ring-shaped water pool having inner and exterior rings and a floor inclined from the outer ring to the center of the water pool. The system comprises channels located under the floor of the water pool for recirculating water. At least one water propeller turbine is installed inside the channels and configured to recirculate water from the water pool through the channels and back to the water pool. The system comprises guiding plates installed on the floor. Waves of different shapes including breaking waves are generated by varying velocities of different water current and controlling guiding plates.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is Continuation-in-Part of German Patent Application Serial No. DE 10 2012 013 159.3, filed Jul. 2, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD

This application relates to systems and methods for generating artificial water waves for sport activities, and more specifically generating artificial water waves for surfing, riding water skis, kayaking, or swimming against water streams.

BACKGROUND

Water sport activities like surfing, riding water skies, or kayaking are very popular. However, in order to surf one needs to travel to an ocean shore which can be thousands of kilometers away. Moreover, because several naturally occurring phenomena influence the shape and quality of breaking waves, formation of natural waves with a certain type of characteristics suitable for surfing may not always be possible.

There are existing solutions for generating artificial water flows and waves for surfing and other water sport activities. In some of these existing solutions, a body must be dragged over the water surface. In other existing solutions, water is forced against solid structures to generate waves of certain shapes. Generally, such solutions involve a thin water film running over a ramp. Thus, the resulting waves are suitable only for surfing with smaller surfboards and only surfable with surfboards with fins adjusted to the low water depth instead of conventional longer surfboard.

There are some systems for generating water waves that can generate a very thick water film up to 50 cm. The drawback of the existing systems is that only very few persons can surf simultaneously in the generated water streams. Increasing size and depth of the water stream would require disproportionately large pumps to propel the water, therefore, the operation of such a system would not be economical.

The embodiments described in this disclosure are systems for generating artificial waves, which allow more people to perform water sport activities simultaneously at reasonable expenditure.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Provided are methods and systems for generating circular and steady waves for performing sport activities. According to example embodiments, the system for generating artificial waves may comprise a round shaped water pool with an inner and an exterior rings. In some embodiments the exterior ring of the water pool may be shaped as a polygon.

The system may further comprise one or more reverse current channels located under the floor of the water pool. The channels may connect one or more water entrances located at the inner ring of the water pool and one or more diverting devices located at the exterior edges of the pool. In some embodiments, the reverse current channels may connect one or more water entrances located at the outer ring of the water pool and one or more diverting devices located at the inner ring of the water pool. In some embodiments the water streams may circulate in radial direction from the edge of the exterior ring of the water pool to the edge of the inner ring and further flow through the entrances located at the inner ring. Water streams may further flow through the channels located under the floor of the pool and flow back to the water pool through the diverting devices located at the edge of the outer ring. In certain embodiments, the water streams may be generated to flow in axial direction around the circle between the inner and outer rings of the water pool.

In some embodiments the system may further comprise one or more water propeller turbine installed inside the channels. In some embodiments a single water propeller turbine may be installed in the center of the ringed-shaped water pool. The turbine may suction the water current from the pool, thereby generating a water current. The water current may leave the turbine in the axial direction and enter the reverse current channel, then flow into diverting devices located at the exterior edge of the pool, through which the water returns back in the radial direction into the pool and flows back to the entrances at the inner ring of the water pool. In certain embodiments a vane pump can be installed in the center of the water pool to recirculate water.

In other embodiments the system may comprise more than one water propeller turbines install in the reverse current channels inside either the inner ring or the outer ring of the water pool. In some embodiments, several turbines may be placed in outer ring of the water pool shaped as a regular polygon. In some embodiments, the number of turbines may be equal to the number of angles of the polygon. Water can be conveyed either from the outer ring to the inner ring of the water pool or from the inner ring to the outer ring of the water pool. The water currents may be then merged into the peripheral areas of the individual current paths into the surface of the water pool to generate ring-shaped waves.

In some embodiments the water current generated by different multiple turbines may have different velocities. The velocities of the multiple generated water streams and positions of diverting devices through which water streams back to the interior of the water pool may be adjusted in order to generate waves of desirable forms up to breaking waves in circumferential and radial directions. In some embodiments, a point break can be generated while the point break section is rotating in circumferential direction.

In the embodiments of the system comprising multiple water propeller turbines, specially designed turbines shaped as a water wheel with folding blades may be utilized. The blades can be configured to fold on side of the coming water current and unfold on the side opposite to the coming water current. Since the blades are folded when passing the side of the coming water current, they do not force water in the direction opposite to the direction of the desired water current. Therefore, the turbines with folding blades may propel large volumes of water more efficiently than conventional turbines with unfolded blades.

In some embodiments, the wave generating system may comprise one or more foils installed on the floor of the water pool in the direction of the water current. The foil may be attached by one edge to the bottom of the water pool and the position of the free edge of the foil may be adjusted by a holding device. By adjusting the position of the foil against the floor of the water pool, the water current may be divided into two parts: an upper fast flowing current and a lower slow flowing current. By separating the water currents, the loss of the velocity of the surface water current may be reduced.

In some embodiments, multiple sub-pools may be placed alongside one another with various floor designs in the current direction that generate the desired water current or waves, so that while the system is operational, the water current passes through multiple sub-pools in the direction of the current. Thus, multiple waves may be generated in a row. This design style is particularly advantageous for practicing water sports in recreational facilities.

The systems and methods for generating water waves described in this disclosure may be also practiced in water pools of a rectangular shape. By combining together multiple parallel turbines and adjusting velocities of the water current produced by each turbine, the resulting combined water current may be designed in a manner in which varying wave shapes up to breaking waves can be created in both crosswise and lengthwise directions of the water current. For water athletes this would be a manifold offer of wave shapes, which comes close to actual ocean conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Example embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a ringed-shaped water pool for generating circular steady waves, according to an example embodiment, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2A is a radial cross-section of a water pool for generating circular steady waves with a water propeller turbine installed at the center, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2B is a radial cross-section of a water pool for generating circular steady waves with a vane pump installed at the center, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 is radial cross-section of a water pool for generating artificial waves with a turbine having folding blades, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 4 is cross-section of a water propeller turbine having folding blades to generate artificial waves in a water pool, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of water propeller turbine shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is cross-section of a water propeller turbine with blades folding by force of springs to be used in a water pool for generation artificial waves, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 7 is cross-section of a water propeller turbine with folding blades to be used in a water pool for generation artificial waves, according to an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example methods and systems for generating circular and straight steady waves for surfing and other water sport activities are described.

In some example embodiments, a system for generating circular steady water waves for sport activities may comprise a ring-shaped water pool having an inner ring, an exterior ring and a floor inclined from the exterior ring to the center of the water pool. The system may comprise one or more channels located under the floor of the water pool for recirculating of water. The system may further comprise one or more water propeller turbines installed inside the channels and configured to generate one or more water currents recirculating water from the water pool through the channels and back to the water pool.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system 10 for generating artificial water waves, according to an example embodiment. The system may comprise a ringed-shaped water pool. The water pool 10 may have an inner ring 10 i and an outer ring 10 a. The floor of the water pool may be inclined in radial direction from the edge of the outer ring towards the center line in between the inner ring 10 i and the outer ring 10 a.

The system may include several reverse current channels located under the floor of the water pool. In some embodiments one or more diverting devices 1 u may be placed at inner ring 10 i. In other embodiments, the diverting devices 1 u can be placed at outer ring 10 a.

In certain embodiments, the outer ring 10 a may have a shape of a regular polygon. In some embodiments, the generated water current flows generally in radial direction from the outer ring 10 a to the inner ring 10 i. In other embodiments, the generated water current may flow in radial direction from the inner ring 10 i to the outer ring 10 a. In some other embodiments the water current may flow around the rings of the water pool.

In some embodiments several water propeller turbines may be installed in reverse channels near the inner ring 10 i, while diverting devices may be placed at outer ring 10 a. In other embodiments, several water propeller turbines may be installed at outer ring 10 a, while the diverting devices 1 u may be located at inner ring 10 i.

In embodiments with several turbines installed in the system 10, the velocities of individual water currents generated by different turbines may be adjusted separately in order to get combined water current and waves of a desired shape.

In some embodiments, a single water propeller turbine may be installed in the center of the water pool, while the diverting devices are placed at outer ring 10 a.

FIG. 2A is a cross-section of a ring-shaped water pool with a turbine generating the water current, according to an example embodiment. The turbine 17 may be located in the center of the ring-shaped system 10 in a vertically arranged current channel 16. The turbine 17 may comprise turbine blades 18, which are mounted to a shaft 14 (with the respect to the direction of rotation 15). The shaft 14 may be rotated by a driver which is not shown here. The turbine may further comprise stationary guide blades 19 mounted inside the current channel 16.

The water current may be generated when water is suctioned from the pool 10 by rotating shaft 14 of turbine 17 in direction 15. Water current may then leave the turbine 17 in an axial direction. This current may then be diverted as part of the process of the reverse current channel 11 by a diverting device 1 u and then flow radially into the pool 10.

FIG. 2B is a cross-section of a ring-shaped water pool with a vane pump generating the water current, according to another example embodiment. The blade wheel 20 of the vane pump may be located at the lower end of the current channel. The blade wheel may be mounted to a shaft 14 rotating by a driver (not shown here). The blade wheel 20 is shown in an additional sectional view A-A in FIG. 2B. Vertical blades elements 21 of the blade wheel 20 are equally distributed around a circle.

By rotating the shaft 14, a water current may be generated. The water current flows from the pool 10 downwards through the vertical current channel 16 and further away from the blade wheel 20 in a tangential direction towards the entrance of the reverse current channel 11.

Vertically mounted guide blades 22 can be arranged at the front of the reverse current channel 11. The number of the blades 22 may be equal to the number of the blades of wheel 20. The blades 22 may force the water current to exit the blade wheel 20 into the reverse current channels 11. The blades 22 may allow controlling the rotational torsion of the water currents in order to generate diagonally breaking waves in the water pool 10.

FIG. 3 shows a radial cross-section of a system for generating circular steady waves as well as a radial cross-section of a system for generation of straight waves in a rectangular water pool for sport activities with several water propeller turbines, according with an example embodiment. The turbine 2 b, which is one of the multiple turbines with folding blades, may be installed inside the inner ring 10 i or around the outer ring 10 a of water pool 10 of FIG. 1. Water current flows from entrance 2 e through working area 2 b of the turbine 2 a downwards to returning channel 11 located under the floor of the water pool 10 and then returns back to the pool via diverting device 1 u. Water current may then flow at the surface of the water pool contouring the shape of the floor and may come back to the entrance 2 e. The resulting water current may serve effectively as a wave for surfing or other sport activities.

In some embodiments, plurality of guide plates 12 may be installed on the floor of the water pool 10. The guide plates may be shifted forwards in the generated water current direction. The guide plate 12 may be mounted by one edge to the floor of the water pool. The angular position of each guide plate 12 may adjusted by an adjustment device 12 a. Water current of a desirable form including diagonally breaking waves having a continuous break may be generated by adjusting angular positions of guide plates 12 by adjustment devices 12 a. One or more guide plates 12 may be also installed in the example embodiments illustrated in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B.

In some embodiments, a stretched and fluid-impervious foil 13 may be installed in order to separate the water current into two parts: an upper fast flowing current and lower slow flowing current. The foil may be mounted in direction of the stream of the generated water current. The suitable angular position of the foil 13 may be adjusted by holding element 12 a. By separating the water current into fast and slow flowing parts, the loss of water current may be reduced. One or more foils 13 may be also installed in the example embodiments illustrated in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of water propeller turbine with folding blades installed inside the reverse current channel in either inner or exterior ring of the water pool, according to some example embodiments. Unlike an example shown in FIG. 3, the water current in example embodiment of FIG. 4 flows from the reverse channel through the turbine and back to the water pool. The water propeller turbine shown in FIG. 4 may be also used reversely to generate a power, e.g. to generate energy from an existing fluid current. The water propeller turbine illustrated in FIG. 4 may be installed in a run-of-the-river hydroelectric plant or a similar plant. The water propeller turbine as described in FIG. 4 may have a high degree of efficiency and may be employed in connection with relatively high fluid currents in any location where practically no change to the pressure ratio of the fluid current is to be conducted or needed.

In FIG. 4, reference number 1 identifies a guidance system for a water current, which may comprise a lower-level section 1 a that lies at the horizontal level and an upper-level section 1 b that lies vertically in parallel to the lower-level section 1 a. Water current channel 2 a may be located between the lower-level section 1 a and the upper-level section 1 b. The lower-level section 1 a is followed by a semi-circle cylinder section 1 d. The semi-circle cylinder section 1 d may guide the water current S coming from the current channel 2 a.

The example turbine with folding blades may comprise at least a blade carrier 3, folding blades 4, and a guidance track 5. The guidance track 5 may be shaped as a ring and may contour the shape of the semi-circle cylinder section 1 d. The blade carrier 3 may be carried out in shape of a cylinder with a smaller radius as compared to the guidance track 5. The rotation axis 3 a of the blade carrier 3 is shifted from the axis of the guidance track 5 in the direction away from the semi-circle cylinder section 1 d.

The folding blades 4 may be carried out in shape of plates. The blades curvature may be nearly equal to the curvature of the blade carrier 4, so when the blades are folded they are tightly pressed against the blade carrier 3. The blades 4 are mounted by one edge to blade carrier 3 via pivot bearings 9, and by the opposite edge to guidance track 5 via guidance pins 6.

The blade carrier 3 may be rotated by a driver (not shown) in the direction U around axis 3 a. By rotating the blade carrier 3, the blade 4 located on side of current channel 2 a is unfolded away from the blade carrier 3 since one side of the blade is kept bound to the blade carrier 3 and the opposite side of the blade follows the guidance track 5. The unfolded blades propel water located in the working range 2 b. The blades are nearly completely folded when passing the side of incoming water channel 2 a, therefore, they will not produce any water currents which are opposite to desired water current direction S.

In some embodiments, the blade carrier 3 may be carried out in a form of a revolving band, which is suitably guided and powered, e.g., via two rollers. In these embodiments, the guidance system 1 and guidance track 5 may be suitably adjusted.

FIG. 5 shows a highly simplified version of perspective Y view from FIG. 4. The reference number 1 c designates side-wall sections of the guidance system 1 and the upper end of the semi-circle cylinder section 1 d of the guidance system 1. One can recognize the blade carrier 3 with its rotational axis 3 a and two blade elements 4, which are mounted as rotary units on the blade carrier 3 via pivot bearings 9. The lateral guide pins 6 of one of these blade elements 4 are depicted as having free ends facing away from the blade carrier, with which this blade element 4 is guided along the guide track 5 in relation to the blade carrier 3 for the implementation of the desired relative movement.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of water propeller turbine with folding blades, according to another embodiment. Similarly to the embodiment described above with reference to FIG. 4, the turbine is installed inside a guidance system 1 and may comprise at least a blade carrier 3, blades 41, and a guidance track 5. The blades 41 may be shaped as straight plates with no curvature and may be mounted by one edge to the axis of the blade carrier 3 via springs 7. The opposite edge of the blade 41 is connected to the guidance track 5 via guidance pins 6.

The blade elements 4 may be moved linearly in the radial direction relative to the blade carrier 3 inside the blade carrier 3 towards its rotational axis 3 a or out of the blade carrier and away from its rotational axis 3 a. Thereby, each blade element 4 may extends in a generally linear radial direction with respect to the blade carrier 3. The guidance track 5 provides the desired periodic movement of each blade element 4 in relation to the blade carrier 3 over the course of its rotational movement. The extended blades 4 propel water in working range 2 b and when passing the side of the incoming water current, the blade elements 4 are pulled inside the blade carrier 3, so they do not generate water current in the direction opposite to desired water current.

In some embodiments, to generate the aforementioned rotatory swivel motion of the blade elements in relation to the blade carrier, other conventional actuators could be used, e.g., hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, which are placed between the blade carrier and the blade elements and which effect the relative movement of the blade elements in relation to the blade carrier.

FIG. 7 is a cross-section of water propeller turbine with folding blades, according to yet another embodiment. The turbine may be placed in water guidance system 1 similar to the embodiments described above with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 6. The turbine shown in FIG. 7 may comprise blade carrier 3, blade 4, and disc 8. The rotational axis 8 a of the disc 8 may be shifted away from rotational axis 3 a of the blade carrier 3. The disc 8 and the blade bearing 3 may be mutually rotated around their axis of rotation. The blades 8 may be attached by one edge to blade carrier 3 via pivot bearings 9. The opposite edge of blades 8 may be connected to disc 8 via at least one rod-shaped guidance element 4 b. The guidance elements may be hinged to disc 8 using pivot bearings.

By mutually rotating the blade carrier 3 around axis 3 a and disc 8 around axis 8 a, the blades 4 may be folded on the side of coming water current and unfolded on opposite side in working range 2 b.

Thus systems and methods for generating circular as well as straight steady water waves for surfing and other water sport activities have been disclosed.

Although the embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the system and method described herein. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for generating circular steady water waves for sport activities, the system comprising: a water pool, the water pool having: a shape of a closed round geometrical figure; an inner ring; an exterior ring; and a floor inclined from the exterior ring to the center of the water pool; one or more channels located under the floor of the water pool for recirculating water; and at least one water propeller turbine installed inside the channels for generating one or more water currents, wherein the at least one water propeller turbine is configured to recirculate water from the water pool through the channels and back to the water pool.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the water current is propelled from the inner ring to the exterior ring.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one water propeller turbine is installed in the center of the water pool.
 4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vane pump installed in the center of the water pool.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the water current is propelled around the water pool.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one water propeller turbine is installed in the exterior ring of the water pool.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one water propeller turbine is configured to generate water currents having different velocities resulting in waves of different shapes, the waves being stationary or moving circularly around the water pool.
 8. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one water propeller turbine comprises: a blade bearing; and a plurality of blades connected by one edge to the blade bearing, the blades configured to fold and unfold.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the water pool is shaped as a polygon.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the floor of the water pool has a structure varying in radial direction.
 11. The system of claim 1, further comprising guiding plates installed on the floor of the water pool, the guiding plates being controlled to generate different wave forms and breaking waves, a braking section of the braking waves moving circularly around the water pool.
 12. A method of generating circular steady water waves, the method disposing a water pool having: a water pool, the water pool having: a shape of a closed round geometrical figure; an inner ring; an exterior ring; and a floor inclined from the exterior ring to the center of the water pool; disposing one or more channels located under the floor of the water pool for recirculating water; and disposing at least one water propeller turbine installed inside the channels for generating one or more water currents, wherein the at least one water propeller turbine is configured to recirculate water from the water pool through the channels and back to the water pool.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one water propeller turbine is configured to generate water streams flowing from an exterior ring to the center of the water pool.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one water propeller turbine is installed in the center of the water pool.
 15. The method of claim 12, further comprising disposing a vane pump in the center of the water pool.
 16. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one water propeller turbine is configured to generate water streams flowing around the water pool.
 17. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one water propelled turbine is disposed in the exterior ring of the water pool.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one water propeller turbine is configured to generate one or more water currents having different velocities to generate waves of different shapes, the waves being stationary or circulating around the water pool.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein the water pool has: a shape of polygon; a different structure of floor in radial direction; and guiding plates installed on the floor of the water pool to generate different wave forms and breaking waves.
 20. A system for generating artificial water waves for surfing, the system comprising: a water pool, the water pool having: a shape of a closed round geometrical figure; an inner ring; an outer ring; a floor inclined from the outer ring to the center of the water pool; a shape of a polygon; one or more channels located under the floor of the water pool for recirculating water; and at least one water propeller turbine installed in the center of the water pool and configured to recirculate water from the water pool through the channels and back to the water pool, the at least one water propeller turbine comprising a blade bearing and blades connected by one edge to the blade bearing, the blades being configured to fold and unfold. 